Penn State’s Journey Brown Retires From Football
Penn State running back Journey Brown will retire from football after learning of a serious heart condition, head coach James Franklin announced (Twitter link via Audrey Snyder of The Athletic). Brown, who was once considered to be a potential first-round prospect, was found to have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy while going through COVID-19 testing in September. 
[RELATED: Syracuse S Andre Cisco To Enter NFL Draft]
Brown led the Nittany Lions with 890 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. His strong finish pushed his NFL stock even higher — the 5’11” tailback averaged 118.6 yards per contest over his last five games. In Penn State’s win over Memphis in the Cotton Bowl, Brown went off for 202 yards and two touchdowns with just 16 carries. That will stand as Brown’s final game on the field.
“I finally had the opportunity to showcase what I was born to do and, hopefully, set myself up to achieve my lifelong dream of playing in the NFL,” Brown wrote in a statement. “Unfortunately, the dream will never be realized as I have been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which will force me to medically retire from the game of football. The pain of not being able to play the game I love anymore hurts and I can’t explain how I am feeling right now.”
We here at PFR wish Brown the best in retirement.
Latest On Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey
After getting a second opinion on his injured shoulder, Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey has been told that he may be able to play next week against the Lions, sources tell NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). That’s excellent news for CMC, who was previously thought to be facing a much more serious issue. 
[RELATED: CMC Suffers Shoulder Injury]
McCaffrey will be sidelined for Sunday against the Bucs, but it no longer sounds like his season is in jeopardy. It’s safe to say that he’s eager to get back on the field — McCaffrey has appeared in just three games this year thanks to an ankle injury and his latest shoulder malady. All in all, he’s got 59 carries for 225 yards and five rushing TDs on the year, plus 17 grabs for 149 yards and one score through the air. Before this, McCaffrey had perfect attendance through his first three pro seasons.
Without CMC, the Panthers will continue to rely on Mike Davis as their primary running back. The veteran has done pretty well with the first-string unit, racking up 353 yards off of 85 carries plus 43 catches for 278 receiving yards. The Panthers will need Davis to be at his best this week in order to beat the Bucs and snap their four-game losing streak.
49ers, Browns, Raiders Put In Claims For Takk McKinley
The Bengals’ 2-5-1 record aided them Wednesday, with Takk McKinley now Cincinnati-bound after a waiver claim. Other suitors were ready to pounce if the Bengals did not make a claim.
The 49ers, Browns and Raiders submitted claims for McKinley, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This comes after McKinley curiously tweeted the Falcons declined trade offers for him. The Browns were one of the teams to discuss a McKinley trade with the Falcons, per SI.com’s Albert Breer (on Twitter).
McKinley would have been thrust into the AFC playoff race had he landed in Cleveland or Las Vegas. The Browns eyed Jadeveon Clowney for months, submitting what was believed to be a strong offer for the high-profile edge rusher, but instead reworked Olivier Vernon‘s contract and ran back the Vernon-Myles Garrett tandem. McKinley would have joined ex-Falcons teammate Adrian Clayborn as an auxiliary pass rusher in Cleveland.
Although the Raiders have seen Maxx Crosby play well after arriving as a fourth-round pick, the team has not seen much production from No. 4 overall selection Clelin Ferrell. The Raiders were also in the Clowney mix. Only Crosby (five sacks) has registered more than one sack among Raiders, and the team’s nine QB drops rank 31st.
Injuries have depleted the 49ers’ once-formidable defensive line. They are without Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas for the season, and Dee Ford is not certain to return in 2020. McKinley, who recorded 13 sacks between the 2017-18 seasons, has one in four games this year. The 2017 first-round pick does have seven QB hits in abbreviated time (85 defensive snaps) this season, however.
Titans Activate Adoree’ Jackson From IR
The Titans are continuing to take it slow with Adoree’ Jackson. They will take the atypical step of activating Jackson ahead of their Week 10 game but declaring him out.
Jackson is back on Tennessee’s 53-man roster, but the fourth-year cornerback will not play against the Colts on Thursday. Jackson returned to practice Oct. 21, meaning Wednesday marked the 21-day deadline for the Titans to activate the corner in order to have him participate in the 2020 season.
A knee injury cropped up just before the start of the regular season, and the Titans shelved Jackson on IR ahead of Week 1. The team will give the three-year starter at least 10 more days to work his way back. Tennessee faces Baltimore on Sunday, Nov. 22.
The 2017 first-round pick has started 39 games in 43 appearances as a pro. Tennessee picked up Jackson’s fifth-year option in May. The Titans have struggled this season defending aerial attacks; they rank 24th in pass defense DVOA. The team rearranged some pieces recently, cutting Johnathan Joseph and Vic Beasley. A Jackson return would certainly help the unit as the Titans push for their first AFC South title in 12 years.
To make room on their 53-man roster, the Titans placed cornerback Dane Cruikshank on IR.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/11/20
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Devon Kennard, CB Byron Murphy
- Placed on IR: Kevin Peterson
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Marlon Humphrey
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon
- Placed on IR: LB Adarius Taylor
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Baker Mayfield
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Tyrone Crawford
- Claimed off waivers from Colts: DL Ron’Dell Carter
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Graham Glasgow
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Matthew Adams
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Mecole Hardman
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on IR: WR Preston Williams (story)
New York Jets
- Claimed off waivers from Giants: CB Corey Ballentine
Bengals Claim DE Takk McKinley
The Bengals used their high waiver priority to bring in a former first-round defensive lineman. Recently cut Falcons edge rusher Takk McKinley will head to Cincinnati after the Bengals claimed him Wednesday.
McKinley will join a Bengals team that has been without defensive ends Sam Hubbard and Carlos Dunlap; the former is on IR and the latter is now a Seahawk. With the Falcons not exercising the 2017 first-rounder’s fifth-year option, McKinley’s rookie contract expires after the 2020 season.
The Falcons dropped McKinley after not finding a taker for him in a trade. The team fined the defensive end for comments he made regarding his trade status. McKinley has 17.5 career sacks; just one of those has come during the 2020 season. The UCLA product registered 13 sacks over his first two seasons but has just 4.5 since the 2019 campaign.
Atlanta sought a fourth-round pick for McKinley but held onto him at the deadline, despite McKinley tweeting the team received offers involving fifth- and/or sixth-round picks. The Falcons tried to unload Vic Beasley in similar fashion ahead of last year’s trade deadline but retained him, and Beasley produced down the stretch. The team has now dismantled its longtime pass-rushing duo, and McKinley will have a shot to rebound ahead of a possible free agency run in 2021.
Just one Bengal — fourth-year defensive end Carl Lawson — has registered more than one sack this season. Like McKinley, Lawson is in a contract year. Hubbard has also returned to practice this week and could be activated ahead of Cincinnati’s Week 10 game. The Bengals minimized Dunlap’s role and saw him become quite vocal about the demotion, leading to a trade. They will now take a flier on another player who went public about his standing with an organization.
Shelby Harris Tests Positive For COVID-19
Shelby Harris missed the Broncos’ Week 9 game after he landed on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list. But the veteran defensive lineman was out due to being a high-risk close contact. This week, he will be out because he tested positive for the coronavirus, Benjamin Allbright of KOA tweets.
The Broncos placed Harris on their reserve/COVID-19 list last week. He reported to the team his wife and children tested positive for the coronavirus last week, Mike Klis of 9News reports, but he did not receive word he had also tested positive until Wednesday morning. The Broncos quarantined Harris away from his family at a hotel last week; he did not travel to Atlanta for the team’s Week 9 game. He will miss at least Denver’s Week 10 game in Las Vegas.
Broncos defensive line coach Bill Kollar is not with the team due to contact tracing, per Klis, but the longtime Denver assistant has not tested positive (Twitter link). The Broncos have seen a few assistants miss time because of the virus, with running backs coach Curtis Modkins testing positive and O-line coach Mike Munchak and defensive coordinator Ed Donatell being sidelined for periods as well. GM John Elway tested positive last week.
After catching on with the Broncos in 2017, Harris re-signed with the team this offseason. The interior defender led the NFL in passes batted down last season and has eight QB hits this year. With Harris sidelined, the Broncos will be without each of their three starting D-linemen against the Raiders. Both Jurrell Casey and Mike Purcell are on IR.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/11/20
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: OT O’Shea Dugas
- Placed on practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Brian Allen, CB Winston Rose
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Dalyn Dawkins
- Released: DT Kevin Strong
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Natrez Patrick
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Cassh Maluia
New York Jets
- Signed: QB Mike White
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Tegray Scales
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Bo Scarbrough
Syracuse S Andre Cisco To Enter NFL Draft
Syracuse safety Andre Cisco will turn pro and enter the 2021 NFL Draft, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Cisco, who signed with agents Andre Odom and David Mulugheta of Athletes First, could wind up as a first-round pick.
[RELATED: Latest On Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence]
Cisco burst on to the scene with seven interceptions in his freshman year, followed by five INTs in 2019. Then, in September, the preseason first-team AP All-American tore his ACL during pregame warmups when he collided with a teammate. The injury ended his season after just two games and, ultimately, capped his collegiate career.
The Long Island native has the potential to steal the show at the combine, if he’s fully recovered by then. Reportedly, Cisco has clocked a 4.33-second 40-yard-dash in the past, along with 17 bench press reps of 225 pounds. Though he’s been knocked for trying to force interceptions, Cisco’s big play ability and athleticism should bring him lots of attention in the buildup to the draft.
Also working in Cisco’s favor — a safety class that is viewed as relatively weak. He’ll be joined by Oregon’s Jevon Holland, who opted out of the 2020 season and shifted his focus towards draft prep.
Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey To Miss Time
Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is not expected to play Sunday against the Buccaneers, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). McCaffrey is now considered to be week-to-week with his right shoulder injury, though he’s meeting with a specialist today for a second opinion. 
Last week’s game against the Chiefs marked McCaffrey’s return to the field after he was sidelined with an ankle injury. Now, after taking a big hit from Kansas City safety Daniel Sorensen, he has a new ailment to deal with. Before that, CMC ran for 69 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and caught ten passes for 82 yards and a TD.
McCaffrey did not miss a game during his first three seasons. Even in a trying 2019 for Carolina, McCaffrey managed 1,387 rushing yards off of 287 carries, giving him an average of 4.8 yards per tote. He also caught 116 passes for 1,005 yards through the air. All combined, he notched 19 touchdowns on the year, paving the way towards his record-breaking four-year, $64MM deal in the offseason.
The 33-31 loss to KC knocked the Panthers down to 3-6 on the year, which means that the Panthers may have a tough decision to make if McCaffrey’s issue lingers.